J.K. Simmons, the voice actor of Omni-Man in Robert Kirkman’s Prime Video animated superhero series, has announced his top pick for the role of the Viltrumite in the Invincible live-action movie that’s still under development.
Fans have continued to throw names into the mix of actors to embody the title character and his father in the film since the announcement of the big-screen adaptation in 2017.
And now, courtesy of Simmons, we have another potential candidate, who the 69-year-old believes would be a proper fit for Nolan Grayson. That someone is none other than X-Men star Hugh Jackman. With ample experience in the superhero genre and enough gravitas to qualify for the complex role, Jackman’s foray into the Invincible world wouldn’t seem far-fetched or unrealistic.
As for why the Spider-Man alum believes the Wolverine star to be the perfect choice for Omni-Man, you would find his statement to Screen Rant quite telling.
Hugh Jackman Is J.K. Simmons’s First Choice For A Live-Action Omni-Man
With the renowned status Robert Kirkman‘s animated Prime Video series has garnered over the years, it’s only natural for some to expect the voice-acting ensemble to appear in the live-action setting in some capacity, through either a cameo or a separate role.
However, when it concerns portraying their live-action counterparts in the in-development Invincible movie, Steven Yeun and J.K. Simmons deem themselves eliminated from the race. They attributed this to their ages, given their animated iterations are much younger. In Omni-Man’s case, his Viltrumite genes give him the appearance of a man in his 40s-50s, even though he’s over 2,000 years old.
When Simmons spoke to Screen Rant, he outright eliminated the possibility of playing Omni-Man in the film adaptation, stating, “I don’t think a 70-year-old Omni-Man is what I would want to see in the movie.” However, if he had to pick the perfect star to portray the Viltrumite, he would go for Deadpool 3 alum Hugh Jackman.
On why he believes the 55-year-old to be an appropriate contender, Simmons spoke:
“I’m not going to lie, you’re not the first person to ask this question, and the first time, I … fumbled around for a minute, and then I thought, ‘Oh, Hugh Jackman.’ I have no idea if he would be remotely open to the idea, but I think there’s a kind of maturity and gravitas to Hugh.”
The voice actor for Omni-Man went on to discuss how Jackman’s physicality and adaptability make him a strong candidate for the live-action part:
“But he’s enough of a genetically blessed brick poop house of a dude, and enough younger than I am, and you know, a really wonderful and versatile actor that if I [were] casting it, that’d be my first call.”
Simmons concluded his statement by affirming that Jackman was the person he recommended off the top of his head, and he wouldn’t wish to exasperate those “who are actually going to be doing that job.”
Who will eventually head the ensemble in the roles of Nolan and Mark Grayson is a little tricky to foresee since the movie is still in its nascent stages of development.
As for Jackman, if he isn’t weary of the superhero genre after Deadpool 3, he’s capable enough to embody the complexity of Omni-Man on-screen. This, of course, depends on those in charge of the casting and the actor’s own interest.
When Will Audiences Get To See The Invincible Live-Action Movie?
Updates on the live-action movie based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman are slow, and it still seems too early to discern when the movie adaptation will see the light of day.
Nevertheless, since its initial conception in 2017, although things seemed to have moved slowly, the interest in getting the Invincible film made continues to remain high. And progress is indeed being made, as affirmed by Kirkman in an interview with Variety last October:
“[The live-action is] still in the script development stage … Once we get the script to where it needs to be, I think we’ll be in a good place and can move fairly quickly after that.”
The comic book writer-producer also affirmed, however, the significance of keeping things fresh, giving the adaptation space to stand out from the series while still capitalizing on the excitement the show has generated:
“We need to find a way to play off the animated series but also differentiate ourselves and give the movie a reason for existing. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done. But we’re hopeful.”
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There’s no harm in waiting as long as the material supporting the film receives the necessary time and attention to create a compelling story. Fans are likely to receive further updates on the cast and plot details of the movie once the pre-production picks up momentum, but whether or not it’ll be Hugh Jackman for Omni-Man remains to be seen!
You can stream Invincible on Amazon Prime Video.
